Finding diamonds.....

Let me tell you about the cutest little boy I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. SubhanAllah, his name is not on my lips, but the memory of the lesson that I learned from him still exists. Let me call him Abdul Hayy. He was in Senior Kindergarten, that would make him, what? 5 yrs old? 5 yrs old and he had this strong perserverance that only children have. Day after day, he'd be the first one running out of the school at recess, full of exuberance, energy and bursting with happiness that would make adults smile. And day after day, he'd be the last one inside, dragging his feet at his regular failure, yet the brightness in his eyes never dimmed. Tomorrow I'll try again...he'd say, walking inside......and no one questioned him, no one wondered what was his daily goal. What was it?

Well, since I was working in this school in the administration, I had regular interaction with many of the children. I learned to love these kids....and many of them touched my heart. But this boy...masha Allah! It so happened that one of our teachers was ill for a week. Someone had to take over her duties and since I was the only one who had the free time, I volunteered to do them. Among her duties, was being a supervisor at recess. So started my interaction with Abdul Hayy. I noticed his exuberance and his sadness daily. I'd see him running around the playground digging holes in different areas of the playground, playing by himself. No friends by his side, and him just talking alone, digging with a frenzy. I started walking over to where he'd be digging and would catch pieces of his conversation with his imaginary friend. It went something like this....
"I know there are diamonds in this playground.....I'm sure of it.....and I'm going to find them and everyone will be so proud of me....I'm going to give my Mama a diamond and maybe I'll sell some.....I wonder how much diamonds are worth? I hope it's more than $100. This sand is too dry, there won't be diamonds over here, maybe I should move somewhere else?........" And so on and so on.

After a few days of listening in, I realized what he was doing. Digging for diamonds. What a sweet boy! He had dreams of making his Mom happy, buying his Dad a new car, and somewhere deep inside, he believed that those diamonds, HAD TO BE THERE. If he just kept trying, he would eventually get them. He really believed....and tried and tried again. After a little thinking....I decided that Abdul Hayy DESERVED to find his diamonds and had a plan.

So I went home that night and looked thru my garage sale jewellery....I found this old brooch with lots of rhinestones, many missing......and got myself some tools, even a hammer! LOL! I broke up the brooch and got myself about 10 small diamonds and about 5 good size ones. I put them in a plastic bag and the next day when I went to school, I snuck out and buried them. I marked my spot with a stick, and then continued on with the rest of my plan.

Come recess, I approached Abdul Hayy and asked him how his diamond hunt was going? He was so pleased, he looked at me excitedly and said..."Today is a really good day! I can feel it....I'm going to find DIAMONDS!" So I said to him...."let me tell you a secret.....you have to start everything with Bismillah....and then you look for a stick on the sand....many pirates mark their treasures with sticks.....once you find it, you say bismillah and start digging....dig slow.....the treasure will wait...." He smiled and ran yelling..." WOOOHOOOO!!!"

I walked around nervously as he ran to a different stick.....I was hoping / praying that he'd go to the right one.....and finally.....he did.....he lifted the stick and said...."Bismillah".....and started digging with methodical strokes, taking his time....and then suddenly....."ALLAHU AKBAR! I FOUND THEM!!! I KNEW IT!! MY DIAMONDS! I"M RICH, I"M RICH!!!! ALLAHU AKBAR!" He filled his hands with his find, and started running to the other kids showing them, the teachers...and finally me....who he hugged with joy and exclaimed...."You helped me today, so I'm going to give you one." He touched my heart with that, because I had heard him saying again and again, how he was going to give his Mama a diamond....he had put me on the same level with his dear mother. And knowing that I was supposed to be ecstatically happy, I said thru teared eyes...."Oh Masha Allah, Abdul Hayy!! You are so generous, I'm so happy...r u sure? What a great surprise!" He ran away before I could say much more.....which was good, because by that time, the tears were pouring down my face.

He was so excited that his teacher couldn't calm him down until finally she let him stand up in class and tell about how he KNEW there were diamonds in the playground.....he told the adventure with such enthusiasm, the kids sat entranced listening to him. Needless to say, recess wasn't the same for a good week....with most of the senior KG class bringing plastic shovels and pails....LOL....parent's calling and asking about the diamonds....LOL!!

So what's my moral on this? It's that sometimes we have to remember that by trying hard, working away daily at something that doesn't prove fruitful....we still have to keep chipping away at the foundations...remain steadfast.....and insha Allah, we'll find our rewards. Isn't that a great lesson to learn? It sure is.....remember that Allah said...."Patiently, then perservere: for the promise of Allah is true: and ask forgiveness for thy fault and celebrate the praises of Thy Lord in the evening and in the morning" 40:55

Oh such innocent joy! I prayed that day that Allah would make Abdul Hayy always victorious with his strong perserverent spirit. I loved that little boy...I really did. He found his diamonds.